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18 years later, the US and its NATO allies still have troops in Afghanistan with no plans on leaving.

We were told this was about 9/11 and Osama Bin Laden, but these were lies.

So why are the troops still there?

What was the war in Afghanistan really about?

The decision to invade Afghanistan was taken by the Bush-Cheney war cabinet in the evening of September 11, 2001. It was based on the presumption, “confirmed” by the head of the CIA that Al Qaeda was behind the attacks and that Al Qaeda was supported by the Afghan government.

On the following morning, September 12, 2001, NATO’s Atlantic Council meeting in Brussels, endorsed the Bush administration’s declaration of war on Afghanistan, invoking Article 5 of the Washington Treaty.

Michel Chossudovsky of the Centre for Research on Globalization joins us to explain.

(Interview conducted in 2016)

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October 7, 2001: Waging America’s 9/11 War of Retribution against Afghanistan

The immediate response of the US and its allies to the 9/11 attacks was to the declare a war of retribution against Afghanistan on the grounds that the Taliban government was protecting “terror mastermind” Osama bin Laden. By allegedly harboring bin Laden, the Taliban were complicit, according to both the US administration and NATO, for having waged an act of war against the United States.

Parroting official statements, the Western media mantra on September 12, 2001 had already approved the launching of “punitive actions” directed against civilian targets in Afghanistan. In the words of William Saffire writing in the New York Times: “When we reasonably determine our attackers’ bases and camps, we must pulverize them — minimizing but accepting the risk of collateral damage” — and act overtly or covertly to destabilize terror’s national hosts”.

This decision was taken by the Bush-Cheney war cabinet in the evening of September 11, 2001. It was based on the presumption, “confirmed” by the head of the CIA that Al Qaeda was behind the attacks.

On the following morning, September 12, 2001, NATO’s Atlantic Council meeting in Brussels, endorsed the Bush administration’s declaration of war on Afghanistan, invoking Article 5 of the Washington Treaty.

An act of war by a foreign nation (Afghanistan) against a member of the Atlantic Alliance (the USA) is an act of war against all members under NATO’s doctrine of collective security. Under any stretch of the imagination, the attack on the World Trade Center and Pentagon cannot be categorized as an act of war by a foreign country. But nobody seemed to have raised this issue.

Meanwhile, on two occasions in the course of September 2001, the Afghan government –through diplomatic channels– offered to hand over Osama Bin laden to US Justice. These overtures were turned down by president Bush, on the grounds that America “does not negotiate with terrorists”.

The war on Afghanistan was launched 26 days later on the morning of October 7, 2001. The timing of this war begs the question: how long does it take to plan and implement a major theater war several thousand miles away. Military analysts will confirm that a major theater war takes months and months, up to a year or more of advanced preparations. The war on Afghanistan was already in the advanced planning stages prior to September 11, 2001, which begs the question of foreknowledge of the 9/11 attacks.

The repeal of civil liberties in America was launched in parallel with the bombing and invasion of Afghanistan, almost immediately following 9/11 with the adoption of the PATRIOT legislation and the setting up of a Homeland Security apparatus, under the pretext of protecting Americans. This post-911 legal and institutional framework had been carefully crafted prior to the 9/11 attacks.

On September 11, the US-backed Revolutionary Commando Army claimed that it had repelled a Syrian Arab Army (SAA) attack in the 55km zone surrounding the US military garrison in al-Tanf. The militant group said that SAA units advanced using a Red Cross visit to civilians in the area.

A Syrian military source, stationed around the 55km zone, denied these claims. The source told SouthFront that no clashes happened in the area. There are about 300 Revolutionary Commando Army militants stationed in al-Tanf. They receive training, weapons and supplies from the US-led coalition despite multiple scandals surrounding this cooperation. Earlier in 2019, the group’s spokesperson, Mohamad Mostafa al-Jarrah, was caught raping a 10-year old girl from the nearby refugee camp.

A prominent Hayat Tahrir al-Sham commander, Abu Abd al-Ashda, left the militant group accusing its current leadership of massive corruption, and failing to defend militants’ territories in northern Hama during the recent SAA advance. According to him, millions of dollars that HTS had for rearmament simply disappeared.

Meanwhile, another key Hayat Tahrir al-Sham commander, Abu Abdul Mohsen al-Jazrawi, was assassinated in southeastern Idlib. The incident happened near the town of Saraqib on September 10. Al-Jazrawi, a Saudi citizen, was reportedly a close aide of the terrorist group leader Abu Mohammad al-Julani.

In the last few months, several prominent foreign terrorists were assassinated in Greater Idlib. The perpetrators of most of these attacks remain unknown.

On September 11, Syrian and Russian warplanes bombed positions of terrorists near the towns of Kafar Takharim and Darkush. The airstrikes were likely a response to the recently increased number of violations by militants in southern Idlib.

The researcher in political and military affairs Basem al-Shihawi has underscored that there are both political and military reasons behind the terrorist organizations’ repeated drone attacks against Syrian military posts in Hama and Hmeimim airbase in Lattakia.

He told the Syria Times e-newspaper that terrorists groups holed up in Idlib province would never launch such attacks without Turkey’s permission.

“First of all, it is needless to say that terrorist groups in Idlib province are controlled by Turkey, and that they would never launch such attacks without it’s permission, this is a key point in order to analyse those attacks,” he said.

The researcher added: “Ankara wants those attacks to take place in order to blackmail Moscow politically since it demonstrates Ankara’s influence over terrorists, and Ankara hopes that the drone attacks will force Russia to yield to Erdogan’s demands regarding the awaited constitutional committee and other political goals in Syria.”

He made it clear that the military reasons for the terrorists’ drone attacks are to limit the Russian Air Force’s ability to conduct efficient airstrikes against Al-Qaeda affiliated groups, to hinder Hmeimim’s role in supporting Syrian Air force, to force the Russian military command to focus more on protecting its military base, and to put more pressure over Russian and Syrian anti-air defences.

“As for the continuous attacks being carried out by terrorists despite the de-escalation zone agreement, let’s all remember that the terrorists never abided by it, and this is the reason the Syrian army launched a military operation in order to liberate northern Hama in the first place,” al-Shihawi stressed.

He referred to the fact that suicide drone attacks never stopped since the very arrival of the Russian Air Force to Syria.

“Time and again the attacks became more intense as the terrorists not only started to launch more drones, but more sophisticated ones according to the Russian Defence Ministry who declared, after examining shutdown drones, that they are based on western technology,” the researcher stated.

“Considering the fact that this region is under American occupation with the help of the so-called ‘Syrian Democratic Forces’, Washington can give whatever promises to Turkey, but is that what Erdogan actually wants?”

He believes that Erdogan’s goal is not a “safe zone”.

“What Erdogan really wants, in order to secure his position against his political rivals inside Turkey and the unsatisfied Turkish military, is a clear victory over the Kurds in Syria, a victory that allows Erdogan to conduct a demographic change in northern Syria, planting pro-Turkey Syrian refugees all over the area, which is something neither Washington is able to give, nor Turkey is capable to achieve,” the researcher affirmed.

He concluded by saying: “The most important factor is neither of the above mentioned, the most important factor is the Syrian Arab Army and its allies that are getting closer from ending Idlib issue, and the moment Idlib is liberated, the occupied east and north will be the focal point for the Syrian Army, a game changer that is going to hinder all Turkish and American plans very soon.”

Trump and Erdogan regime terrorists continue their flouting of International Law and have begun war criminal ‘joint patrols’ in the territories of the Syrian Arab Republic. Both countries are signatories to the Geneva Agreements; ignoring the Treaty to which they pledged fidelity — and without complaints from transatlantic MSM — again shows Trump and Erdogan among the many unindicted war criminals of NATO countries.

Caliph-wannabe Erdogan’s imperialist plot involves his desire to annex more of Syria than was stolen by his Ottoman Empire predecessors.

Rabid ErDOGan, war criminal

Trump — the POTUS elected on his promise to drain the swamp but who preferred to become addicted to huffing its decomposing fumes — also wants a share of a new Sykes-Picot partitioning.

Swamp Drunk Trump – Was elected to drain the swamp and instead became swamp drunk.

The Office of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs & Expatriates condemned the flagrant violation of Syria’s national sovereignty and integrity, which follows the colonial bragging of CENTCOM in the joint illegal invasion of Syrian airspace, two days ago.

Let us not expect any reporting on these illegals, by MSM, which is much too busy trying to keep the magic marker and the Hurricane Dorian map trending. Let us also not forget that all the MSM glorified Trump when he bombed Syria for al-Qaeda, based on the criminal lies of an illegal Brit, a de-licensed physician, via ‘fake news CNN!’.

Let us not expect any complaints from the un-anti-fascist Antifa on this joint fascist incursion into Syria; this gang of phony Trump-haters is aligned with his arrogant, colonial, illegal incursions.

The criminal alliance of the Trump and Erdogan regimes, in the rancid colonial arrogance of criminal ‘joint patrols’ in Syria, will not be permanent; Syria’s beloved President Bashar al Assad has promised that “every inch” of the SAR will be liberated.

Syria President Dr. Bashar al-Assad: “Every inch of Syria will be liberated”

The propaganda of perversions in the West has reached new heights. The British leading sports clubs promote the LGBT “values,” and their scientists drag cannibalism into the category of normal.

No matter how much effort is made by the “normal countries” to promote degeneration, it never seems to be enough for them. In the course of pushing the Western agenda all methods are good. For example, the use of well-known sports clubs.

Manchester City Football Club partnered with Puma in release of a special uniform in support of the LGBT community. The set is timed to coincide with the annual gay pride events that started in Manchester on August 23. Students from Manchester Metropolitan University – the fifth largest in the UK (per number of students), including the School of Arts, Theater School and school of Architecture, participated in the design of the uniform. The t-shirt is made in white with rainbow edging around the emblem of the “City”. The LGBT flag is featured on the back with the inscription “Proud”, highlighted in sky blue. Also the design of the football club t-shirt contains the inscription “Together We Stand”, and the logo of the organization “Football Against Homophobia.”

That is, the idols of British youth, by taking to the field in this uniform, will take part in promoting the thesis that being a pervert is normal. Characteristically, the named club is owned by sheikhs from the United Arab Emirates. It would seem that homosexuality and the Islamic worldview are incompatible. But come to think of it, there was no objection from Manchester City club owners to LGBT uniforms. Apparently they decided that a PR for the club is acceptable, since it promises an increase in profits.

“In the online store of the club this uniform can be purchased for $30 (basic kits cost $235). ‘This is an ideal way for citizens to express support for everything related to the LGBT community and, of course, to demonstrate love for the team,’ the product description says.”

However, if we speak about perversions, the West promotes much more wild things.

“In recent years, the Western info-field has increasingly started to generate ‘authoritative’ statements that, perhaps, ‘it’s time to reconsider the outdated taboo on human cannibalism,’ and that ‘ethical cannibalism can not be excluded from the public debate.’”

Last year, the University of Warwick hosted a curious conference called “BITES HERE AND THERE”: LITERAL AND METAPHORICAL CANNIBALISM ACROSS DISCIPLINES,” where serious topics such as “Cannibalism and anthropocentrism: getting to know the other as meat” were discussed. “Identification of the noble and baser cannibalistic motif: typology of risk and necessary,” “Ethical approach to eating: justification of cannibalism in modern literature” and “a kiss as beginning of cannibalism.”

If you think it’s obvious madness – a single madness of a senile individual, it’s not.

“The other day, scientists-psychologists from the British Lancaster University turned the volume up by publishing the results of the study, where the subjects were asked to assess the situation where their friend gave them permission to eat his flesh after his death, and the risks of diseases were excluded. In doing so, they were given a context in which eating the corpse of the deceased is an act of respect and memory. The authors of the study regret to state that, despite all the explanations and logical calculations, people overwhelmingly consider even ‘ethical cannibalism’ disgusting and absolutely unacceptable. However, scientists express the hope that we will still ‘be able to adapt to eating human meat if the need arises.’”

A new analysis of data from a human rights agency (in the United States), which was shared with the Guardian newspaper, raises questions about the accuracy of “point strikes” drones.

On January 13, 2006, drones came for Ayman Zawahiri, allegedly hiding in Damadola village in Pakistan. 10 months later they were bombing Bajaur. 8 years later, Zawahiri is still alive. 76 children and 29 adults were killed after 2 strikes.

Many Americans have never heard about Zawahiri, even less they heard about Qari Hussain. He was the head of the Pakistani Taliban, a group believed by the US to be linked to al-Qaeda, and prepared Times Square bomber, Faisal Shahzad for his failed attack in 2010. The drones came for Hussain years before.

Finally, on 15 October a Hellfire rocket killed Hussein, that the Taliban later confirmed.

To kill a man whom almost no American couldn’t name, the United States killed 128 people, including 13 children.

A new analysis by the Agency shows that even when an operator targets a particular person, they kill significantly more people. Attempts to kill 47 people resulted in 1,147 deaths on 24 November 2014.

The analysis is an estimate of the damage done by Obama’s favorite weapon, called “the most accurate.”

Drone strikes were sold to the American public as “accurate.” But they’re just as “accurate” as the intelligence that feeds us. There’s nothing “accurate” about killing 28 unidentified people, including children, for every person the U.S. hunts.

24 people in Pakistan have been hunted, it resulted in the death of 874 people. All were announced to the press as “killed “ many times, suggesting multiple strikes anywhere. An estimated 142 children were killed in the hunt for 24 people, and only 6 of those 24 were actually killed in drone attacks.

Under the pretense to target some 41 terrorists, the US killed 1,147 random people. They say it was “accidental.”

[Back to the video.]

But this rate of reducing the population is not enough for them. If they succeed in brainwashing the population that devouring neighbors is normal, then the struggle to reduce the number of people will go to a whole new level.

Sounds crazy, doesn’t it? But you’ve seen links to research sites about cannibalism. The Overton window is already open and stinks of cooked human flesh. And don’t say it’s impossible. Who in their right mind in Britain could say out loud in the middle of the past century that after 70 years, Manchester City players will play in t-shirts propagandizing sexual perversions?

And they’re willing to wear these t-shirts for money. And their Muslim sponsors are willing to turn a blind eye. From this perspective, the idea of legalizing cannibalism in the West does not seem so impossible, does it?

The propaganda of perversions in the West has reached new heights. The British leading sports clubs promote the LGBT “values,” and their scientists drag cannibalism into the category of normal.

The US is seeking to reanimate insurgency in southern Syria. According to the pro-militant Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a number of Free Syrian Army commanders that fled Syria in 2018 are now working to form a new militant group, the Army of the South, to attack “Iranian militias” in the region. The allegedly closed U.S. Military Operation Center in Jordan will reportedly support the new group.

Over the past few months, the security situation in southern Syria became more complicated with an increasing number of IED attacks and assassinations aimed against the Syrian Arab Army (SAA).

The SAA uncovered loads of weapons during a search operation in the newly-captured town of al-Lataminah in northern Hama. The discovered weapons included several mortar cannons of different calibers, at least two Grad 122mm rockets, RPG-18 and RPG-26 anti-tank rocket-propelled grenades as well as a RPO-A thermobaric rocket launcher.

Militants of Jaysh al-Izza, a close ally of Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham, apparently left behind these weapons. The group’s members fled the town last month following a successful attack by the SAA.

On September 5, the Russian Defense Ministry denied recent reports claiming that several Russian service members were killed in a blast near the town of Jurin in northwestern Hama. These false claims were first published by Vedomosti business daily before being picked up by multiple Russian and Syrian media outlets.

Such reports appear to be a part of new propaganda wave aimed against the SAA and Russia. Such propaganda campaigns are often being launched amid important military or diplomatic developments in Syria, and the Middle East in general.